Kinkaid Lake
State Park and Muskie Status Report Info
The following is an excerpt from the IL State Parks website:
Located in southwestern Illinois' Jackson County, Kinkaid Lake is approximately 5 miles north of Murphysboro and 100 miles southeast of St. Louis.Built in 1968, the lake encompasses 2,750 acres. The ownership of the surrounding land is divided among the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which manages approximately 4,000 acres; the U.S. Forest Service, which administers 5,000 acres; and Kinkaid-Reed's Creek Conservancy District, which oversees 300 acres. The lake offers fishing for largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, walleye and muskie.
DirectionsKinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area is located in Jackson County on the north side of Rt. 149, approximately 2 miles west of Murphysboro. From Rt. 13, 127, and 149 junction, take Rt. 149 west 2 miles to the entrance of Lake Murphysboro State Park/Kinkaid Lake. From Rt. 3, take 149 east approximately 5 miles to the entrance of Lake Murphysboro State Park/Kinkaid Lake.
The following is an excerpt from the IL DNR's
"STATUS OF MUSKIE FISHERY IN ILLINOIS 2004"
KINKAID LAKE - This lake was built in 1972 and first stocked with muskie in 1985. Muskie (MUE) habitat at Kinkaid is abundant with high water clarity, good depth, and 82 shoreline miles of necks, bays, and points. Weed beds can be found in certain shoreline areas. Large numbers of spotted suckers are available and preferred as forage. Growth rates and conditions are exceptional. During early summer of 1996, it was discovered that a high number of MUE escape over the spillway during periods of heavy rain. Since June 1996, electro sampling by biologists has resulted in 230 MUE (28-47 inches in total length) being returned to the lake. At least 12 of these MUE had been rescued below the spillway, tagged and returned to the lake, and subsequently recaptured again below the spillway. One fish has been documented as going over the spillway on three separate occasions. During the Fall of 1998, a spillway barrier was installed across the dam to reduce MUE escapement during periods of high water flow. This barrier should greatly enhance opportunities to grow trophy MUE and keep them in the lake. There has been no confirmed MUE escapement since the installation of the spillway barrier.Kinkaid Lake was stocked with 2750 ten inch MUE during 2003. Sampling efforts will continue to assess the effectiveness of the spillway barrier and the resultant effect on the Lake’s MUE population. Anglers have reported a tremendous numbers of MUE in the 30-40 inch range which is the future of the MUE Fishery at Kinkaid Lake.
The largest documented MUE known from Kinkaid Lake was collected in an IDNR net in 2002. The female measured 50 inches and weighed 34.7 pounds (she had already lost most of her eggs). In each of the last three years, the size of the largest muskie that has been collected by IDNR biologists has increased. This is evidence that the spillway barrier may be effectively keeping the MUE in the lake and allowing them to grow to a larger size. A total of 214 muskie were collected during 2003 spring trap netting.
At the end of 2002, there were at least 700 tagged MUE in Kinkaid Lake. If you catch a tagged MUE from Kinkaid Lake DO NOT REMOVE THE TAG. Please contact Shawn Hirst, District 21 Fisheries Biologist at 618/687-4546 with the following information: date of catch, length of MUE, tag number (If number is covered with algae simply scrap the algae away with your fingernail or a knife). Anyone providing a tag number will receive the history of that particular fish.
March 17th 2005
Water Temps rising to about 50 degrees. Southern end of the lake was clearer and held a lot of fish. We boated a nice plump 43.5" (see pic below). Numbers of 40-44 inchers have been caught in the past week, most in the southern sections. The DNR has netted over 120 muskies in the northern sections over the past 2 weeks. If you want to hit Kinkaid, NOW is the time.
Kevin Wakeman
